XMEN: Emergence
by Scott Summers
Summary: Sequel to XMEN:RESURGENCE. There's a new status quo in the world - and Carol Danvers, Jennifer Walters and Hank McCoy are at the helm. But what if the war they thought they'd won against Tony Stark was really just a battle? **CH.3: EMERGED NOW UP!**
1. resurged

_When Tony Stark called for mutant registration and waged war on both mutantkind and Wakanda alike, a group of heroes banded together to defeat him. There is a new status quo in the world, a resurgence of the super hero; Carol Danvers now leads S.H.I.E.L.D. She-Hulk, the Avengers. And Hank McCoy emerges as leader of the X-Men. _

_They thought they'd won the war... but perhaps it was only a battle._

**XMEN: EMERGENCE  
**_chapter one: resurged_

* * *

**NEW YORK CITY, X-MEN HQ**

"Carol Danvers, better known to the world as Ms. Marvel, has assumed the mantle of Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. -- while Jennifer Walters, She-Hulk, leads a government-sanctioned Avengers," news anchor Sally Floyd spoke to her loyal viewers, her face splashed on every television in the New York area.

Surge turned away from the television, looking back to the Beast, who was busy reading a book in the corner. "And leading the newly reformed X-Men is founding member Hank McCoy."

"She knows Trish Tilby," McCoy smiled at her over his glasses. "I didn't expect any word on the matter."

"Who's Trish Tilby?"

McCoy smiled. "Ahh, youth."

"I'm twenty-five."

"Which makes Trish much too old to be a reporter, then, doesn't it?"

Though he wouldn't admit it, Hank liked that idea.

"Yer tellin' me as many versions of Jamie Madrox that you absorbed," Remy LeBeau smiled at Rogue as they lay in bed together, "you can't muster up at least _one more _a'you?"

"Ah can't believe," Rogue glared at him, "that after _all these years_ -- ah'm still not enough for you."

"Can't blame a man for tryin', chere," LeBeau grinned.

"And ya can't blame a gal for leavin'," Rogue hopped off of their bed, throwing a pillow at him as he protested. "Ah'm goin' downstairs, swamp rat. You can join me if ya'd like, but ah wouldn't."

**

* * *

**

CAMP HAMMOND

Carol Danvers paced the deck of the new Helicarrier. She liked the design. It was simple, elegant -- well, as simple and as elegant as an airship the size of Rhode Island _could _be.

The ship was still grounded and Danvers was anxious to take her into the air. But protocol was protocol, and a ship is only as strong as her crew… which at present time only consisted of Jennifer's Avengers and a handful of refugees from the previous incarnation's agents.

There were background checks to be held, training sessions to endure, and a complete uniform redesign. No, that could wait. _Besides_, Carol thought to herself, if she was going to have to get used to dressing head-to-toe, the others could deal with it.

She'd never wanted to touch a man so badly -- and for a few seconds, she pitied Rogue.

McCoy was working on it, he'd said… but if after all these years, after all the effort that had gone behind disabling _Rogue's power _for _Rogue_, Carol wasn't hopeful.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Simon Williams turned the corner. She was surprised he'd remained loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D. -- or loyal to Director Danvers, rather.

They hadn't spoken since Wakanda -- since the two last tussled in an all-out war over Tony Stark's greed.

"Carol," Simon looked shocked. "I wasn't told anyone was aboard."

"Just admiring the new ship," Danvers smiled weakly. "_Jesus, Carol_," she thought to herself. "_You sound like an idiot_."

"It _is_ nice. Who redesigned her?"

"The specs are similar to the last Helicarrier," she leaned against the wall -- and then rethought the idea, standing tall and firm again. "But it was a joint collaboration… and of course the… oh, nevermind."

"Nevermind?"

"I hate this," Carol took a step closer to him. "Are we going to talk?"

"Talk about what?"

"The months we spent with our fists in each other's faces?"

"Oh," Simon smiled. "That."

"Yeah. That."

"I'd forgotten why they called you Ms. Marvel," Williams grinned. "You pack quite a punch."

Danvers smiled to herself. "Yeah, well, I'd forgotten why they called you Wonder Man."

"They don't," Simon shrugged. "Not anymore."

"No?"

"Ion."

"Ion?" Marvel arched an eyebrow.

"You know," Simon concentrated, changing into his ionic form. "Ion."

"May I ask why?"

"No," Ion laughed to himself. "I think it's better if it stays between me and my pride."

"Simon," Carol walked closer, placing her hand on his shoulder. "I'm happy you stayed."

"I'm loyal to S.H.I.E.L.D., Carol," Williams pulled back. "No matter who's in charge."

* * *

"What's the stor-y, Nor-i?" Rogue smiled as she took a seat next to Surge in front of the television.

Surge looked shocked; hurt.

"What?"

"Nothing," Nori looked at Rogue. "It's just… Jamie used t'say that to me, that's all."

"…oh," Rogue looked away. "Ah'm sorry. He must still be kickin' around in here," she tapped her head.

Nori shook hers. "I know what he did to us… but I miss him so much."

"Hey," Rogue wrapped her arm around her, "don't worry for a second about how you feel, girl. Ah haven't always had the best choices in men."

"Magneto," Hank chimed in from the back corner with a cough.

"You're kidding," Nori looked at her.

"Suddenly Gambit don't look so bad, huh?" Rogue smiled.

Nori laughed. "No. I suppose not. Hey… what can you tell me about Trish Tilby?"

Rogue turned, her eyes meeting Hank's. He shrugged. "She came up."

"Ah never spent much time with her," Rogue looked back to Surge. "But she was a bitch in outer space."

"Outer space? I thought she was a reporter."

"Don't we make you newbies read any history?"

"I'm not a newbie," Surge challenged. "I've been doing this for--"

"--longer than you can remember?" McCoy teased.

"Since you had two streaks a'white in your hair?" Rogue joined in.

"Since you didn't clog the sink with blur fur?"

Rogue smiled at Beast. "If you haven't had at least twenty-five costumes," she looked back to Nori, "then you're still a newbie."

"You guys are making me miss Spider-Man," Nori laughed, looking back to the television screen.

* * *

Peter Parker flipped through the air, various balls of webbing slamming into any robotic opponents that came his way. He landed on the ground, two solid strands leaving his wrists and wrapping another foe in a cocoon as he webslung onto a nearby building.

She-Hulk leapt onto the scene, her fists slamming hard into the cocoon until it exploded, Walters dodging the explosion with one simple duck-n-roll.

The room went gray, any assailants disappearing with the New York City skyline. "Not bad," Jen smiled.

"Not bad?" Peter landed next to her. "You didn't even _do _anything until the very end."

"I'm team leader," Jen grinned. "I don't _have _to do anything until the end."

"I happen to follow by example," Peter quipped, pulling the mask from his face. "It's gonna be a long year."

"Only if you talk as much -- y'know what? Nevermind," Jen cracked her knuckles. "I talk just as much as you do when we're fighting."

"I don't talk that much."

Walters glared at him.

"Okay," Peter shrugged. "So I talk. It passes the time."

"Well," Vance Astrovik called from an observation booth above the two of them, "at least we know the simulation hall is fully-functional. Ready to try something else?"

"What've you got for us, Vance?"

"Just another test or two."

The room shifted into the outskirts of Wakanda, an approaching robot raising its palms to fire on the two.

Jen leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the blast, while Peter flipped over it. As She-Hulk began running toward it, its faceless exterior began to shift. Its silver finish grew darker, resting on an all-too-familiar red and gold.

Parker landed on the ground behind it.

Iron Man.

Jen's fists slammed into Iron Man's armor, the bot falling back onto the ground as Justice ended the scenario.

"What in the hell was that?!" Jen screamed from below him.

"I didn't do that," Astrovik answered. "I swear to God, Jen, I didn't do that."

Spider-Man took a few steps towards Walters. "I don't like that."

"I don't like that at all."

**

* * *

**

NEW YORK CITY

"You're sure this is going to work?" Jessica Drew spoke toward the microphone on her collar.

"We've been over this," Mystique replied from her apartment. "We need Spider-Woman inside of S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Why can't you do it? You can look like anyone, remember?"

"I've exhausted my credibility."

"I have no idea what that's like," Drew rolled her eyes. She and Carol Danvers were anything but friends -- and though she'd tried to press that fact with Darkholme, Mystique was more than stubborn.

"I still like the idea of Agent Adler having a sister."

"And I like the idea," Raven replied, "of you sticking to the plan."

Spider-Woman took a sharp turn into The Baxter Building, checked in with the appropriate staff and took a seat in the small café. The area was littered with pictures of The Fantastic Four. Her eye caught Reed and Sue's wedding picture.

Drew couldn't look at it for long -- not even if Carol Danvers hadn't taken a seat across from her.

"The last time we were here together," Danvers looked less-than-enthusiastic, "I told you I'd kill you if you came back."

"It's a crazy world," Jessica smiled weakly. "Thanks for meeting me."

"Don't waste my time, Jessica," Danvers took a drink of her bottled water. "You said you had Intel."

"What if I told you Tony Stark wasn't dead?"

"I'd tell you that I watched the Helicarrier explode with him on it," Carol looked at her. "And I'd tell you that Storm watched him trigger the explosion."

"Don't be naïve," Spider-Woman mirrored Carol's stare. "We aren't talking about Jim Rhodes, Carol. We aren't talking about Forge. We're talking about the man who single-handedly took over the country and killed Captain America."

"He didn't kill Captain America," Marvel glared at her.

Jessica looked away for a moment and then stood. "It doesn't matter. This was obviously a mistake."

Danvers reached out, her gloved hand grabbing Jessica's arm. She pulled herself up, Drew's strength stabilizing the two. "I don't trust you."

"Carol, _I _don't trust me. I just want back on the government's payroll. When you're ready to talk, I'll talk, but I want back into S.H.I.E.L.D."

"How do you know he's alive?"

"Because I know what he did to the Juggernaut and to Vance."

**

* * *

**

ONE DAY LATER, CAMP HAMMOND

"No one else could come?" Ms. Marvel walked toward Hank McCoy, the mutant grabbing her hand with his large paw with a smile.

"They're training," McCoy nodded. "And as I recall, they weren't invited."

"Not that I don't miss Gambit," Carol grinned. "I'm sure they're ecstatic about training sessions after years of being X-Men."

"They need to learn to work together again," Hank replied. "And it gives me a chance to meet lovely ladies such as yourself."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Carol began walking, McCoy in tow. "Listen, Hank… have you… there's no easy way to say this."

"I'm working rather diligently on reversing the effects of Rogue's transfusion, Carol. I assure you."

Danvers shook her head. "It isn't that. Not today."

"Then what is it?"

"Have you talked to Storm? About that day?"

"Ororo has little time to talk, I'm afraid," Hank shrugged. It bothered him more than he'd admit. "Wakanda's negotiations with the United States, as you know, have reached a critical level."

"Wakanda's _relations _with the United States have reached a critical level," Carol corrected him. "I know that. But she hasn't been terribly forthcoming about Tony's final hour… at least not with me. I was wondering…"

"…if she'd discussed it more openly with her former teammate?" McCoy mused. "No, I'm afraid not. The matter seems to be completely closed for discussion."

The pair made their way down a narrow corridor, stopping in front of a room marked MADROX.

"I'm here about Jamie?"

"What's left of him," Carol nodded. "I just wanted your advice. I wanted to see if you could help the medical staff around here, bounce a few ideas off of them… he won't talk, he won't help us at all… and I need to know everything he knows about Iron Man."

"Iron Man is dead, Carol."

Danvers said nothing.

"Carol," Hank grabbed at her shoulder, "Iron Man is _dead_."

The door whizzed open and McCoy's eyes met Jamie's, huddled in a corner and in desperate need of a shave and shower.

He was bound in a straightjacket -- the sight was, to say the least, unnerving.

"He can't duplicate," Carol spoke lowly. "He won't speak, he's barely eating. Two days ago, on the way for a check-up, he saw a mirror and nearly killed some of the staff… he was convinced his powers had come back."

"What would you have me do, Carol?"

"Just see if he'll talk to you -- see if you can get him to cooperate. I want to know if he can't duplicate because of what Rogue did to him… if it's mental… anything you can tell us."

Beast nodded, Carol left, and the door closed behind him.

"Hello, James."

* * *

"Work together as a team," LeBeau rolled his eyes as the doors to the Simulation Room clicked together. Gambit was flanked by Surge and Rogue, just the way he liked it. "Ain't Gambit's first rodeo."

"Can it," Rogue rolled her eyes. "It's good exercise, anyway… yer not as young as you used t'be, y'know."

Nori snickered.

"Didn' ask for any commentary," Gambit looked down at her.

"Didn't ask permission for any," Surge smiled at Rogue, who was smiling back. "I can't believe we're in Westchester."

"Carol knows how t'pull de right strings," Gambit shrugged. "Whoever thought de X-Men would receive fundin' from de government, huh?"

"If y'ask me," Rogue splintered from the group, "we need t'go on a recruitin' drive. This buildin's awfully big fer four people."

"You forgot to count Gambit's ego."

"Y'know, chere," LeBeau looked to Surge, "I like you less'n less every single day."

"Funny," Rogue laughed, "I like 'er more'n more."

"Maybe dat's just de Madrox in you, non?"

"Gambit!"

"Sorry," LeBeau splintered from the two, making his way down another hall. "I'm gonna hit de showers."

Rogue's eyes met Surge's. "Ah'm sorry about him."

"Don't worry about it," Surge smiled coolly. "He doesn't know the electricity on its way to the showers is going to hit him _a lot _harder than he's going to hit them."

"Like ah said," Rogue threw her arm around Nori, "more'n more."

* * *

"I have a question," Peter Parker headed to the table with his bowl of Cap'n Crunch.

"At least something new and exciting's going on around here, then," Vance picked at his muffin.

"Oh, eat something," Peter glared at him. "I know we wear tights and you don't have any spider-metabolism or anything, but come on. You've been tearing that thing apart for fifteen minutes."

"I could tear you apart in under that," Justice glared at him.

"Keep it G-Rated, boys," She-Hulk smiled.

"I had no idea you felt that way, Vance," Peter winked at him.

Jen finally gave in. "What's your question, Peter?"

"Are we really considered Avengers if there are only three of us?"

"Yes," She-Hulk looked hurt. "We're Avengers."

"Besides," Vance telekinetically lifted a piece of his muffin into the air and tossed it into his mouth, "Carol's coming with the new recruits today."

"Now you're just showing off," Peter arched an eyebrow. "New recruits? I thought this was Jen's team."

"As sponsored by S.H.I.E.L.D. Carol's technically an Avenger… I'm more of a field leader."

"Tough break."

"Don't you miss your solo work?" Jen glared at him.

"I wish we had the kind with crunch berries."

* * *

"…took a few samples, though I don't feel good about it," McCoy took his glasses off and sat them on the lab coat he'd already folded. "He's barely cognoscente. It just doesn't feel right."

"At least you'll be able to tell us if Rogue's attack on him had anything to do with this."

"What else would it be, my dear Director?"

"I have a few ideas," Danvers looked away.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Not right now," Carol shook her head. "No."

"In that case," McCoy made his way toward the door, "I have a team to piece together."

"Hank, wait."

The Beast turned.

"I have -- S.H.I.E.L.D. has -- a job. For the X-Men."

"That seems… sudden."

"Something's coming up," Carol looked uneasy. "Something sudden."

"What is it?"

**

* * *

**

HOURS LATER, AVENGERS HQ

"Should I wear my mask?" Spider-Man took a seat next to She-Hulk and Justice. "I mean, I don't know who she's going to bring waltzing through that door, do you?"

"I already told you, Peter," Jen turned, "no. I don't know who she's bringing. I don't know who's joining."

Parker shook his head. "I really do think you're gettin' the raw end of the deal, Jen."

"We're going to end up killing each other," Vance said under his breath as the door opened, Carol walking in and taking a seat at the head of the table.

"The three of you have been working together for months," she began, "and I have absolute faith in Jen leading a squad of Avengers."

Walters smiled.

"But let's face it," she continued, "three hours and a part-timer aren't going to be enough."

The door opened again, Machine Man and Simon Williams walking in and taking two respective seats. "That's why I've asked Aaron and Simon here to join us."

Spider-Man pulled his mask to his neckline.

"Wonder Man?" Justice crept back in his seat.

"It's Ion now," Simon nodded.

"Ion? Are you serious?"

She-Hulk stepped on Peter's foot beneath the table. "Good to have you on board, Simon… we belong on the same side of the fence."

"Agreed."

"You too, Aaron," Jen smiled at Machine Man, who was near expressionless. "…okay… well, if you're happy, I'm happy…"

"I apologize," Machine Man looked to Walters. "I was recording our first meeting as a team. For reference."

"Not a very exciting video," Peter quipped.

"No," Aaron replied, "I suppose not. But I would gather it's about to get more interesting."

The doors slid apart a final time, She-Hulk standing instantly and Carol pushing her back into her seat.

"She's going to work _with _us," Danvers pleaded. "On something big."

"Are you kidding me?" Spider-Man stood.

"Absolutely not," Jennifer's eyes went wide. "Absolutely _not_."

Spider-Woman hadn't felt welcome in a long time.

* * *

"Gotta admit," Gambit strapped himself in beside Rogue, "I'm surprised Carol gave de X-Men a mission before de Avengers got one."

"This is under the radar," McCoy activated the auto pilot of the X-Men's quinjet. It hummed to life.

"Typical," LeBeau replied. "Let de Avengers have all de glory, de X-Men can be S.H.I.E.L.D.'s personal ops team."

"It won't be that way," Hank argued. "We're just doing something that the Avengers… well, can't…"

"And when're you gonna fill us in on what that is, exactly?" Rogue added from the back.

"Really," Surge added. "It's our first mission and I don't even know if I'm dressed appropriately."

"We'll get new uniforms soon, Nori," Beast smiled. "You'll be up to twenty-five in no time."

"Where we goin', Hank?"

McCoy's brow lowered. "We're going after The Juggernaut."

* * *

**XMEN: EMERGENCE, to be honest, has spun out of the great feedback from XMEN: RESURGENCE. **

**I really felt like RESURGENCE had run its course... and now the characters have evolved. They're resurged, now it's time to emerge and build a new era together. I want to take the time to thank everyone for their reviews -- I hope you enjoy its sequel as much as you did its predecessor. **

**Let me know how you like it -- your feedback keeps me going!**

**NEXT: **_The last time we saw Cain Marko he left our heroes high and dry against Tony Stark -- and now S.H.I.E.L.D. and the X-Men want to know why! Spider-Woman: Avenger?! And what's up with Mystique?? _


	2. girl talk

_When Tony Stark called for mutant registration and waged war on both mutantkind and Wakanda alike, a group of heroes banded together to defeat him. There is a new status quo in the world, a resurgence of the super hero; Carol Danvers now leads S.H.I.E.L.D. She-Hulk now leads the Avengers. And Hank McCoy emerges as leader of the X-Men. They thought they'd won the war against Stark -- but perhaps it was only a battle…_

**XMEN: EMERGENCE  
**_chapter two: girl talk_

* * *

Jamie Madrox's eyes burst open to find Rogue standing in front of him. He slammed his fist into his chest, soon joined by another version of himself -- only Rogue did the same thing.

"Ah told you," Rogue smiled devilishly, "you'd be seein' a lot more'a me, sugah."

Madrox ran in the opposite direction, his duplicate behind him. Each version of Multiple Man beat against his chest again -- and for the four Madroxes there were four Rogues.

Jamie fell to the ground mid-run, finding himself eye-level with Iron Man's boot.

"Get up, Jamie," Stark lowered his hand. "Get. Up."

Jamie's eyes burst open a second time -- only this time he found himself in a lab, surrounded by a generic staff, strapped against an observation table.

"He's awake," one man said. A woman nodded, entering some information into a computer -- and then everything went black again.

* * *

"We're going after _The Juggernaut_?" Surge's eyes went wide. McCoy didn't turn around, instead focusing on the controls in front of him.

"Yes, Nori," Hank replied. "We're going after Mr. Marko himself."

"Can I ask why?"

"Ah'm with Gambit," Rogue spoke up. "The man left, he had t'have his reasons. Ah'm sure Cain woulda called by now if he was interested in joinin' up with any of us."

"You're probably right," Hank nodded. "But Carol needs him."

"I'm already tired a'this," LeBeau sighed. "De X-Men ain't a group of bounty hunters. De government work should be for de Avengers."

"These are different times, Remy," Hank remained cool, "and they call for different measures. The X-Men of old are no more -- we no longer live in that world, my friend."

Gambit's eyes met Rogue's -- an obvious 'I told you so' -- but neither of them said a word.

* * *

"This is my team," She-Hulk glared at Carol. "You can't just put her on it."

"I can," Danvers asserted, "and I already have. I'm the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D., Jennifer. I sign your paycheck."

"Then I'll take a pay_ cut_," Walters challenged. "It's my team, Carol. That makes it my call."

"Jen," Spider-Woman moved toward her, but when their eyes locked she decided to stop.

"And don't start with that Director bull, Carol," She-Hulk fumed. "Tony threw the word around and look where it got him. Look where it got all of us!"

"We seem to be doing just fine," Ms. Marvel motioned around the room. "I don't see _any _of us hiding underground, I don't see any of us fighting each other… I see organized squads of superheroes, Jennifer -- the way it _used to be_. We're moving forward."

"By looking back?"

Spider-Man made an effort to interject -- but his words fell short when both Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk glared at him.

"Maybe this whole thing was a mistake," She-Hulk walked toward the door. "If you want to lead the team, Carol, then you can lead it."

"Tony Stark is alive," Danvers spat out.

A few jaws dropped -- and Carol would swear the entire group of Avengers spoke in unison. "_What_?"

"That's impossible," Spider-Man stood. "We were all there, Carol. We were all _there_."

"None of us saw it happen, Peter," Carol replied. "And Spider-Woman has evidence to support the fact that he's alive."

"She's always got something to weasel her way back in," Walters mumbled. "Does anyone else remember Weapon X? Carol, she almost--"

"--that's enough, Jennifer," Ms. Marvel cut her off. "If you want out, you're out. But if you're interested in finding Stark, sit down."

She-Hulk stood for a moment, bit both her lip and her tongue, and then sat back down.

* * *

Mystique emptied the rest of the red wine into her glass, placing the bottle on the small table in front of her. She looked around her apartment -- everything she'd collected over the years, even a few pictures of Irene Adler and Rogue, staring back at her.

A small piece of her wanted to stay there forever -- to shape shift into normalcy, to end the pattern of life which mirrored her abilities.

But she'd get bored.

She was bored now.

A tiny communicator buzzed in the silence, Raven pulling it to her ear and listening to Spider-Woman on the other side.

"They're going after Marko."

"The Avengers or S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

"Is there much of a difference now?"

"Who, Jessica?"

"The X-Men."

Mystique grinned.

* * *

"Tom," the local bartender smiled at Cain Marko as he slumped into his establishment and took a seat at a rather large booth -- not for comfort, but necessity.

"How are ya, Steve?" Cain smiled. He wasn't sure if the man's name was Steve -- but his certainly wasn't Tom.

Marko hated Canada. He always had, probably always would -- but he had an old cabin he used to hide out in… and sometimes old habits die hard.

He'd messed up. Found himself dragged into something he wasn't ready to be a part of anymore -- something young men, young women, messed with… not an old man who happened to wield the power of the Crimson Gem of Cyttorak.

The bartender brought "Tom" a beer, nodded at him and returned to his station. Not much happened here -- not much tonight, not much ever. Cain liked it that way, and usually compensated by over-tipping Steve… not that it would pay the man's bills, but it'd help.

Or maybe not. Cain didn't come here to think about Steve's problems, he came here to think about his.

He missed Jen.

He thought about her hair, her eyelashes. Her soft fingers, her hard stomach. Her thighs wrapped around --

Too much. Cain took a sip of his beer, some cheap ale, and tried to remember the last time any kind of alcohol could actually get him drunk, let alone solve any of his problems.

He'd spent years in a drugged state aboard the Helicarrier, barely able to recognize his personal guard -- She-Hulk -- let alone understand her. Though he remembered something about a ham and cheese sandwich. He'd meant to ask her about that.

She was so funny.

And she understood him -- something it had taken him years to find…

"_You're thinkin' about her again, Marko_," Cain thought bitterly. He sipped at his ale again. He hated Canada.

"Troubles, Tom?"

"No more'n usual, Steve," Cain smiled his best fake smile. "No more than usual."

* * *

"You weren't going to tell us, were you?" Vance Astrovik sat back on the observation table as a doctor began to take a blood sample. Justice winced.

"Of course I was going to tell you," Carol stood beside him. "We've never talked about what Tony did to the two of you, Vance… neither you or Marko spoke for days. We thought we'd lost you just as we'd _found _you."

Justice looked away. "I don't really remember, to be honest."

Danvers looked concerned. "We'll help you remember, Vance."

"I'm not sure I want to. Why me? Why Cain?"

"I'm not sure yet," Ms. Marvel looked uncertain. "I have a few ideas... it doesn't really matter at this point, not until we have something more concrete. Just work with these guys, Vance... Madrox has been giving them hell."

"Imagine that," Vance smiled.

"Carol," Machine Man called from the far end of the lab, "She-Hulk has arrived."

Danvers nodded, making her way to the lab's door and closing it behind her. She met Walters in the hall.

"Hey," Carol smiled weakly.

"Hey."

"Thanks for coming."

"You should've told me about this sooner, earlier," Walters looked down at her. "If I'm going to lead this team, Carol, I can't be five steps behind _anyone _-- not even you."

"You're right," Ms. Marvel nodded. "You're absolutely right."

"So what else aren't you telling me?"

Carol ran her hand through her golden hair. "The X-Men are going after Cain."

"_What_?"

"They're going after Cain… The Juggernaut," Danvers said slower.

"I _know _who CAIN is, Carol!" She-Hulk glared. "How did they know where he is? Why're they going after him??"

"They know because I told them where to go," Ms. Marvel looked away from her. "There's something inside of him, Jen… something Tony put there… and now that I know what that is, well, I can track it."

"Or the X-Men can."

"Jen…"

"Why didn't you tell me? Why aren't I going after him?"

"They won't hurt him, Jennifer. They're just going to coerce him to coming back here… so we can study the effects Stark had--"

"I'm not worried about them hurting him, Carol!" Jen's fists tightened.

"_I _want to!"

* * *

The Quinjet landed in the thick snow -- and just as quickly as it took Gambit to make a reference to Storm, the X-Men found themselves in one.

"His cabin is just up ahead," Hank motioned for his team to follow him. Rogue flew past him, landed on the steps, and knocked.

Then she busted the door in.

"So much for the element of surprise," Hank muttered against the wind.

"Didn't we just land a jet out here?" Nori asked with a grin.

"Girl's got a point fer once," Gambit smiled. "'Sides, Cain's on our side, non?"

"We shall see, Gambit," McCoy replied -- just as Rogue flew back into the snow with a grunt. LeBeau went to pick her up but found that Rogue had already regained her bearings, flying right back toward the cabin to meet Juggernaut on its porch.

"I woulda looked you up if I wanted t'be found, X-Men!" Marko howled.

"And ah woulda asked you t'come with us if you had a choice!" Rogue slammed into him, the two flying back inside, the door frame shattering against the assault.

Surge, Gambit and Beast ran toward the battered entrance, Rogue and Juggernaut trading blows as they entered the small cabin -- chairs flew and splintered in front of the fireplace; kindling to excite and entice the flame.

"Rogue, please!"

"Ain't no use, homme," Gambit shook his head as a knife -- kinetically-charged, no less -- left his fingertips and slammed into the ground beneath Marko's feet.

It exploded, the cabin floor giving way to Juggernaut's massive frame. Rogue turned and shrugged.

"Why'd you fight him?" Surge approached her.

"Ah defended mahself," Rogue replied. "Ah busted the door down 'cause ah heard him screamin'… ah swear… and then he threw the first punch. He was throwin' it, though… ah dunno, somethin' ain't right."

"He went down easier than expected," McCoy spoke up, surveying the damage in the floor, looking down to an unconscious Marko, "especially since I didn't expect to have to put him there."

"What's done is done," Gambit joined them. "Let's get outta here."

The Juggernaut's massive fists grabbed at the floor from underneath, pulling himself up and stumbling to his feet.

"We mean you no harm, Cain," Hank said sharply as LeBeau pulled his staff, extending it in front of both he and Rogue. Nori's fists swirled with electricity. "Their stance aside."

"We've only got one question," Rogue pushed Gambit and his staff aside.

"What?" Marko glared, rubbing the back of his neck.

"What in the hell are you doin' here, Mystique?"

* * *

"Y'know my problem, Shulkie?"

"Don't call me that."

"Fine. You know my problem, Jensy?"

"Are you serious?"

Parker sighed. "Alright, fine. Let's not have any fun. Y'know, I read in a magazine once that petnames are what holds a team together."

"Oh?" Jen arched an eyebrow as the two walked toward the hangar.

"Think about it. Cap. Spidey. Shulkie… well, at least _I _think that's a good one," Peter grinned. "Uh… Viz. Didn't you guys call The Vision that?"

"I don't think I ever did," She-Hulk rolled her eyes. "Fine, Shulkie. Just not Jensy."

"Yeah," Peter agreed. "I wasn't a huge fan of that one."

"What's your problem, Peter?"

"Where are all of the bad guys?"

Jen climbed aboard the Quinjet, Peter in tow. They strapped themselves in, the hatch closing behind them as Walters activated the control system and set it for Westchester.

"What do you mean?"

"Well… aside from Tony Stark, who's apparently alive -- I mean… I think it's obvious, Jen. Where are all of the bad guys?"

"They're out there."

"I just don't feel like an Avenger chasing a ghost. I don't even feel like a West Coast Avenger."

"Those were good people, Peter."

"Yeah," Parker shrugged.

"They were."

"I'd still be bummed. If you're gonna be an Avenger…"

"You should be a 'new' one?"

"That was different."

"If you say so," Jen ignored him.

"So… does Carol know we're going to Westchester?"

"She doesn't need to."

"We're going to see Cain, aren't we?"

"I really miss Rogue, Peter."

"And I miss Gambit," Spider-Man grinned.

"What's it matter if I want to be there when they get back with Cain?"

"I don't know. I just don't know if you'll be ready for it, that's all. You've got the whole green thing… but you're still Jennifer Walters, and I saw the way your heart broke when he disappeared."

Jen kept her eyes forward as the Quinjet met the skies above Camp Hammond. She smiled softly, placing her hand on Peter's knee and squeezing it. "That's why I brought you along, _Spidey_. You keep me grounded."

"Aw, shucks," Peter smiled. "You're all I've got these days, _Jensy_."

* * *

Cain Marko stood in the door-less entryway to his cabin, having only left the local tavern moments ago. He was annoyed enough to find a Quinjet in his otherwise barren lawn, let alone to see not only Beast, Gambit, Surge and Rogue standing inside of his now-battered cabin… but in front of them, himself.

"What's goin' on here?"

"A reunion, of sorts," Hank looked toward the doorway. "Good to er… see you, Cain."

"You guys ain't got a city or a mansion you can wreck these days? I have one tiny craphole of a place and you have to demolish it?"

Surge cracked an uneasy smile.

The real Marko pointed at his doppelganger. "And _you_. What is this?!"

The Cain Rogue had attacked smiled softly at her daughter, Mystique reverting to her normal form. "How on earth did you know?"

"Ah'm an X-Man, Mystique," Rogue glared. "Not an idiot. Ah grew up fightin' the Juggernaut -- he throws a meaner punch."

"An' she grew up fightin' you, fer dat matter," Gambit snapped. "What _are _you doin' here, Raven?"

"You got about five seconds to explain," Marko growled as he walked skulked forward.

Hank stepped between Marko and Darkholme, a hand outstretched in each direction to keep the two apart. "Let's not be hasty… er."

"Listen to me," Mystique took a step back and then one toward Rogue. "I was going to impersonate Cain here so he wouldn't be involved… S.H.I.E.L.D. has caused the man enough problems."

"I had no idea you cared so much," Marko looked unenthusiastic.

"Don't be a fool," Mystique barked. "Didn't any of you wonder _why _Danvers sent you after Marko?"

"We weren't sent _after _Cain… only to talk to him, to convince him we needed his help. We weren't going to take him against his will," Beast surveyed his friends.

"You couldn't have."

Hank shot Juggernaut a look.

"Danvers is working on something huge -- Rogue, you know she can't be trusted," Mystique looked to her daughter. "McCoy, didn't she tell you _anything_?"

"I trust Carol with my life," Hank replied. "I certainly trust her more than I trust you."

"Ah think that's the general consensus," Rogue added.

"Tony Stark is alive," Raven ignored them. "When he abducted Justice and Cain here, he did something to them…"

"I don't know what you're talkin' about."

"You wouldn't remember it," Darkholme replied. "Stark knew exactly what he was doing. He doesn't take chances. There's a piece of him _inside _of you, Marko, and Carol wants it out."

"You realize how you sound, Raven," The Beast took a step closer to her.

"An' I'd like t'remind everyone here dat you weren't even _in _Wakanda when de man killed himself," Gambit glared at her.

"And I'd like to remind everyone here that you weren't aboard the Helicarrier when it happened, anymore than I was. But I have my sources -- someone who was close to Stark, who knew what he was working on… you don't think bringing Forge back to life was his number one priority, do you?"

"Sources?"

"Spider-Woman," Rogue thought back, answering Hank.

"She's with the Avengers now," Mystique nodded. "And Carol's told them something she hasn't told you, McCoy… she's using you and you're letting her."

"Carol would never mislead us."

"Fine," Darkholme snapped. "Then perhaps she doesn't know that if she extracts these… pieces… of Stark, she'll do exactly what he wants her to. She'll bring him back."

"This is insane," Surge sighed. "All of this, it's insane. Iron Man is dead."

"What's insane," Mystique looked around the cabin, "is if you let Danvers track down these pieces Stark's planted before we can. Let me go back with you -- I'll masquerade as Marko, we'll have all the Intel we need… and we can see to it that Tony Stark, more machine than man, doesn't come back to do exactly what he set out to do in the first place."

Mystique and Beast locked eyes, but it was Juggernaut who broke the silence.

"Inside of me?"

**

* * *

**

HOURS LATER, X-MEN HQ

She-Hulk took a deep breath as she watched the X-Men's Quinjet land in their hangar. Parker grabbed her shoulder, but the time for being sentimental was over -- she pushed it back.

"Fine," Peter muttered.

The hatch opened and the team, along with Cain Marko, climbed out one-by-one.

"Jennifer," Hank smiled somewhat uncomfortably. "I had no idea you'd be joining us for dinner."

"Yeah," Nori smiled at Peter. "It's Gambit's turn to cook."

"Hope y'like pizza," Rogue smiled at her man.

"Cain," She-Hulk stood firm, though it was the last thing she felt like doing. She wanted to run to him -- or vomit. She couldn't really tell.

"Hey," Marko replied. "I, uh… I'll be back."

Walters watched him walk past her, coldly, and nearly went after him -- but Hank grabbed her shoulder.

"What is _with _you people and my _shoulder_?!"

McCoy quickly pulled his hand back.

"It's a pretty shoulder," Peter shrugged.

"Did Carol send you?"

"No," Jen turned back to Hank. "She doesn't know we're here… but she told me you were going after Cain."

"Is that _all _she told you?"

Jen looked uncomfortable. "It's all she _had _to tell me."

Rogue made her way to Walters, motioning for her to follow her out of the hangar. She-Hulk did just that, Rogue looking over her shoulder back at the boys and Nori.

"Gal talk."

* * *

**NEXT**: _Who's playing who? CAIN MARKO: Mystique or Juggernaut?! And more pieces of the Tony Stark mystery unravel! Thanks for the reviews, they keep it comin'!_


	3. emerged

_

* * *

__When Tony Stark called for mutant registration and waged war on both mutantkind and Wakanda alike, a group of heroes banded together to defeat him. There is a new status quo in the world, a resurgence of the super hero; Carol Danvers now leads S.H.I.E.L.D. She-Hulk now leads the Avengers. And Hank McCoy emerges as leader of the X-Men. _

_They thought they'd won the war against Stark -- but perhaps it was only a battle…_

**XMEN: EMERGENCE  
_chapter three: emerged_**

* * *

The Beast watched uneasily as Rogue and She-Hulk made their way through the corridors and away from his watchful eye and PR tongue. Gambit looked just as uneasy, remembering Jennifer's temper and the bruise it had once left.

"So," Spider-Man stood amidst the X-Men, "is there really pizza?"

* * *

"Special delivery," Ion -- or Wonder Man, as he'd decided was actually best -- pushed open Ms. Marvel's door.

"And what's that?" Danvers looked up from her computer screen.

"Me."

Carol smiled. "What's so special about that?"

"I've been thinking," Simon took a seat next to her. "If Tony's really alive... well, I know a few people we should talk to."

"You've got my attention," Carol swiveled her chair around. "So keep it."

"You're going to have to trust me first," Williams looked down at her. "You're going to have to tell me everything you aren't telling them."

"And what makes you think I'm not telling them everything?"

"I remember when they were _all _outlaws, Carol. Even when you defected..."

"Bad word choice."

"Well what am I supposed to call it, then?"

"A moment of clarity? I don't know, Simon... not defection."

"You left S.H.I.E.L.D. and spearheaded the campaign that resulted in Tony Stark's downfall, Carol," Simon pulled the glasses from his face. "You defected."

"From a corrupt..."

"...anyway," Wonder Man flashed his trademark smile, "I know there are things you didn't tell them. About Stark. About what he was doing."

Danvers looked away.

"Didn't think so."

"So what've you got, Simon?"

"Someone who's willing to talk," Wonder Man smiled again, this time pulling an encased microchip from his pocket.

* * *

"I hear you aren't speaking much," Justice looked over to the observation table beside him. Unlike him, James Madrox was strapped to it.

Multiple Man said nothing, only staring forward. He didn't even seem to know where he was.

Vance watched the last nurse leave the room and then pulled himself from the table, walking over to Jamie and looking into his glossy eyes.

"Jamie."

Nothing.

"Jamie, come on."

Madrox cracked a smile. "I'm just messin' with ya."

Vance smiled back. "What's going on with you?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "I... I really don't know. I don't trust these people, Vance."

"They don't trust you," Justice replied. "_I _don't trust you."

"I did exactly what you would've done if Stark had infected you with the Legacy Virus."

"I never would have given us up, Jamie."

"No?" Madrox arched an eyebrow.

"No," Vance cemented, turning away and heading toward the door.

"Y'know, Vance," Madrox glared at him, "just because you can get up and walk out of here doesn't mean they don't have you strapped down, too."

Justice paused for a moment, ready to argue -- but he realized, uneasily, that part of him agreed with that.

* * *

"Things ain't what they seem," Rogue sat across from She-Hulk. "They haven't been fer longer than we've known."

"This isn't about Skrulls, is it?" Jen smiled, looking past her and up a staircase where Marko had gone.

"Yer the only green thing ah know."

"Good," Walters smiled. "I like it that way."

"Has Carol said anything t'you? About Tony?"

Jen's face shifted. "She said he could be alive. That it's somehow connected to why she sent you after Cain."

"Then she's bein' more upfront with you all."

"I was going to quit," Walters shrugged. "You know my flair for the dramatic."

The two looked at each other -- and then, in unison: "Spider-Woman."

"It's why ah left Mystique," Rogue continued. "That and she's crazier than all get out."

"It's the blue thing," Walters smiled as Beast entered the room, taking a seat beside them.

"Is that why Nori couldn't join you for your girl talk?" Hank grinned. "The blue?"

"Speakin' a girl talk," Rogue arched an eyebrow, "you ain't one."

"I leave just as much hair in the sink," McCoy argued.

"Aren't you tired of that line yet?" Jen sighed. "You might as well be Parker."

"You rang?" Spider-Man walked through the door, taking a seat in a small chair across from them.

"We need t'be honest with her," Rogue looked to Hank.

"With _them_," Peter corrected her.

"Cain," McCoy spoke into a small communicator, "if you'll join us downstairs."

A moment later, Cain Marko descended the staircase -- and was met by Jen, who was ready to punch first and ask questions later.

"Calm down, girlie," Marko grabbed her fist, lowering it and smiling at her.

"Where in the hell have you been?"

"New York," Marko replied -- his large form shrinking into that of Mystique.

She-Hulk's blood boiled.

* * *

"I can patch it directly into the mainframe," Machine Man narrated as his hands moved across a circuit board in the Control Room, "but it'd be easier if you told me what I was doing."

"Not yet, Aaron," Ms. Marvel watched him. She and Wonder Man exchanged glances, and then it was done -- a holographic image of the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo shot out of the system, swirling about in front of the three of them.

"Well," Aaron stood, "if that's all I'm needed for..."

"Thanks for your help," Danvers clamped her hand around his shoulder.

Machine Man, unimpressed, turned around and left the room. Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man watched, and waited, until the logo expanded...

Into Forge.

Danvers watched the mutant -- or what was left of him -- rotate. It was surreal. "Simon, how did you--?"

"Tony gave me a chip before things went sour in Wakanda," Wonder Man replied. "He thought things might go the way they did, I guess... he wanted to protect it, thought I'd be able to keep it safe."

"Looks like he was right."

"Carol," Forge had stopped spinning, moving toward her and running his holographic fingers along her DIRECTOR DANVERS badge, "I see things went as planned."

"I don't have time for games, Forge," Ms. Marvel stared through him. "I need to know everything you know about Tony Stark and his plan B."

"Plan B?"

"Stark is dead," Wonder Man interjected. "But we know he did something to Justice. And we know he did something to Juggernaut. You're going to tell us what you know."

"The specs on this new Helicarrier are fantastic," Forge looked away from them. "The defensive measures are much more impressive."

"Forge."

"I worked for Stark," Forge squared in on them. "I used Stark Tech to integrate myself into this situation and I belong to him. What makes you think I would help you?"

"Because if you don't," Carol moved to the circuit board, "I'm going to turn you off."

"And how would that help things?"

"I wouldn't have to listen to your cryptic bull."

"You're asking me what he put inside of those men," Forge began to stroll the length of the room, phasing in and out, "but you already know. That's why you didn't go after Marko in the first place."

"We were preoccupied," Danvers explained. "I couldn't lead a team to find Cain _and _handle S.H.I.E.L.D. My numbers were down."

"Whatever you have to tell yourself."

"Carol, maybe this was a mistake."

"Maybe, Simon," Danvers moved closer to the panel.

"Stark was more machine than man," Forge turned. "And you want me to fix him."

"I don't want to bring him back," Danvers looked back at him. "I want to make sure he isn't back _already_."

"The way you're talking," Forge smiled, "suggests that he was never _gone _in the first place."

"What are you saying?"

Forge's face shifted into Stark's. "That you've just tipped the first domino, Carol."

The circuit board began to spark before it exploded -- Carol fell back from the assault, the Forge/Stark hologram disappearing.

"I'm fine," Danvers shrugged him off. "We need to get to the X-Men!"

* * *

"Then where's Cain?!" She-Hulk growled.

"He's here," Beast stood. "We were going to take Mystique to Carol..."

"Danvers knows more than she's telling you," Darkholme looked to Jen. "Or at least she thinks that she does. If she brings Stark back..."

"Would you have told _me_?" Jen looked past Mystique, past McCoy, to Rogue.

"Didn't ah just tell you?"

"No," She-Hulk glared, "Mystique did. I can't believe you people. You would've just let her masquerade as Cain... you would've let me think... I would've known," she turned back to Raven. "I would have known."

"Which one of us are you trying to convince, darling?"

"Can it, you shape-shifting bit--" Walters turned, her fists ready -- but Gambit and Surge flew through the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"Gambit?!" Rogue flew into the air, the Juggernaut tackling her and falling through the floor into a lower level.

"Cain?!"

"We brought him back with us," McCoy leapt up. "To keep him safe -- until we knew _exactly _what was going on!"

Spider-Man helped Surge up, Gambit pulling himself up next to her. "He jus' went crazy... I dunno what happened!"

Surge rubbed her temple. "He said something about Stark Tech activated, Gambit... it may have had something to do with _that_, genius."

Gambit moved past her, leaping into the hole Juggernaut and Rogue had created. She-Hulk followed.

The two landed amidst a battle, Rogue flying past the two and slamming through the wall behind them. They were in the Simulation Room, as coined by McCoy -- "Danger Room has had its fill," he'd said.

Marko ran forward at Gambit, who was busy looking through the hole in the wall Rogue had made. His fists outstretched, She-Hulk pushed him aside just in time for Marko to slam into her.

She-Hulk skidded against the floor, falling back and wiping the blood from her lip. "Good to see you, too!"

Walters brought her fists around, slamming into Juggernaut and sending him to the floor. Marko quickly leapt up, Gambit making his way to the battered wall.

"You got dis?"

She-Hulk didn't reply, instead leaping onto Marko and tackling him to the ground. She pinned each of his wrists to the floor -- but they didn't stay there long, Marko bringing his legs up and connecting with Walters' back.

Jen moaned as she flew forward, Marko stumbling to his feet and standing off against her as she pulled herself up.

"Cain, _what are you DOING_?!"

Marko said nothing as Spider-Man fell through the ceiling, landing on his back, and releasing a wrist-ful of webbing over his eyes. Marko thrashed, Parker flying toward She-Hulk.

He recovered, flipping mid-air and landing on his feet beside her. "You guys have some unresolved issues, huh?"

"Can it," Walters growled.

Cain ripped the webbing from his eyes, charging forward again as McCoy landed behind him, followed by Surge.

Electricity left Surge's palms, slamming into the Juggernaut but barely phasing him. He was headed straight at She-Hulk.

Walters pulled her fists back, but it didn't matter -- Marko slammed into her, the assault pushing them both through the opposite wall.

He lay atop her on the other side, Jen grabbing at his helmet and throwing it across the room.

His eyes weren't his own -- and before he landed another punch pointblank at Walters' face, she knew she saw them auto focus.

Marko turned, McCoy, Spider-Man and Surge making their way toward him.

"I haven't seen him this strong for years," McCoy spoke more to himself than to anyone else. Marko hurled the unconscious She-Hulk in their direction, Jennifer's frame toppling onto them -- Spider-Man the only one to avoid her assault.

McCoy and Surge toppled backwards under She-Hulk's weight, Spider-Man and Juggernaut staring one another down at a standstill.

"It's not very nice t'hit a lady," Peter watched him.

Marko smiled, crouching down for a moment before he propelled himself upwards, smashing through the ceiling. Parker scattered from the debris as Rogue flew past McCoy and Surge to land next to him. Gambit ran up behind her.

"Where'd he go?"

"Up," Parker pointed.

Rogue began to fly after him, but Mystique looked through the hole from above.

"He's gone."

* * *

"Spider-Man and She-Hulk are gone," Ms. Marvel led Wonder Man toward the War Room where she'd already paged the other Avengers. "The Quinjet log said they left a few hours ago. I can't reach them -- or the X-Men."

"So what are we going to do?"

"We're going to New York," Ms. Marvel replied, opening the War Room to find Spider-Woman flying out of it, surrounded by a telekinetic bubble.

Drew hit the ground, pulling herself up. "It's Vance!"

Justice flew out, a telekinetic wall slamming into Ms. Marvel and Wonder Man, pinning them against the ground beside Spider-Woman.

The three watched Astrovik as he telekinetically slammed through the ceiling above them, a pink rope of energy trailing behind him with a limp Machine Man in tow.

The wall fizzled, Ms. Marvel flying after him, "Simon, check on that chip!"

Spider-Woman and Wonder Man watched Danvers disappear into the sky. "What chip?"

"Forge," Williams replied as he stood, making his way back to the Control Room.

"You idiot!"

Ms. Marvel caught up to Justice easily enough. She grabbed at Machine Man's leg -- and a telekinetic jolt later, found it in her hand. Justice looked back at her, sending another blast her way.

Danvers joined the Helicarrier on the ground.

* * *

**AN HOUR LATER, CAMP HAMMOND**

"I'm glad you could come," Ms. Marvel nodded at Beast as he descended the X-Men's jet.

"We all are," McCoy replied, speaking on behalf of the less-than-enthusiastic X-Men behind him. Spider-Man and She-Hulk approached the group from their own Quinjet.

Danvers and She-Hulk locked eyes before Walters simply crossed her arms.

"Vance is gone, Aaron's with him," Marvel began.

"And as I've already told you, Cain as well," Hank sighed. "What are we going to do about it?"

"Work together."

"It's been known t'happen," Rogue arched an eyebrow.

"We need to do it again," Danvers continued. "No more secrets."

Mystique and Danvers locked eyes this time as the S.H.I.E.L.D. Director continued. "No more lies."

"Agreed," Beast nodded. "So what's the first step, Carol?"

"Washington."

"What's in Washington?" She-Hulk asked.

"There's this monument," Peter smiled beneath his mask, glad he was wearing it to avoid Mystique's eye contact, "and a President or something."

"Don't talk," Surge rolled her eyes.

"A grave."

"Ah'm sorry?" Rogue stepped forward. "A grave?"

"Jim Rhodes is buried there."

* * *

**NEXT: **_How much does Carol Danvers really know about Stark? How does Jim Rhodes fit into it? Find out in **SURGE-R-Y**! Thanks for the reviews... they keep it comin'! _


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